Person behind fan edit of ‘Wicked’ poster that Cynthia Erivo called “offensive” explains why they reposted it

27 October, 2024

The fan who made an edit of a Wicked poster that Cynthia Erivo said was “offensive” has explained why they reposted it.

The official poster for the forthcoming movie musical was released earlier this month, showing Erivo as Elphaba staring into the camera while Ariana Grande as Glinda whispers in her ear.

However, fans noticed that it was slightly different to the original Broadway poster, where Elphaba’s eyes are hidden by the brim of her hat and she is wearing red lipstick. In response, a fan altered the new poster to make it closer to the original.

Erivo, however, wasn’t impressed and hit out at the edited poster, saying it “degrades” her.

“This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful Ai of us fighting, equal to people posing the question ‘is your ***** green’,” she wrote in an Instagram story.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo attend the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 4th Annual Gala in Partnership with Rolex at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. CREDIT: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

“None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.”

Erivo then shared an image of the unaltered film poster, with the caption: “Let me put this right here, to remind you and cleanse your palette.”

In response, the fan behind the edited poster removed it from their Twitter/X page, before choosing to repost it along with a statement.

“The last few days have been wild & have helped me realise that the initial reaction was largely overblown,” they began. “This is, and always was, an innocent fan edit to pay homage to the original Broadway poster, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

“While I deleted initially as I felt it was the right thing to do, fan posters have been around for as long as movies have existed,” they continued. “I never meant to cause any harm and the poster is just a homage to the original broadway poster, just like the movie’s recreation is.”

They went on to say that Erivo is “valid in having her feelings on the matter”, but that they have chosen to keep their edit on social media.

“I’m also valid in wanting to keep my version of the poster up as I truly meant no harm with it and just made it as a way to show love for the original. Both can be true,” they wrote.

They then stressed: “Also no AI was used” in response to Grande’s reaction last week, when she described the situation as “complicated,” and said, “I find AI so conflicting and troublesome sometimes, but I think it’s just kind of such a massive adjustment period. This is something that is so much bigger than us, and the fans are gonna have fun and make their edits.”

Wicked is set to be released in UK and US cinemas on November 22. Given it is coming out on the same day as Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, some fans have suggested the double-header could be a sequel to last summer’s ‘Barbenheimer’, under the name ‘Glicked’. The first trailer was released last month. 

The film had initially been slated for a November 27 release, but this was moved forward five days to avoid a family blockbuster clash with Moana 2.

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